Edits are like sandpaper.

I don’t tend to wade into the waters of discussions on social media these days as often even the most benign seeming discussion can quickly turn into a heated exchange of opinions and vitriol (not to mention those “spilling the tea”, “hot take”, and “unpopular opinion” posts that seem to be just created to intentionally stir the pot). I just don’t have the time or the emotional bandwidth to deal with that sort of negativity so I tend to be a silent observer rather than a participator. One topic I have seen cropping up a lot lately though, is the question of editors and indie authors.

Some people will claim that indie authors don’t use editors at all, which is indeed true of some indie authors but not all. I personally know a lot of indie authors who engage in all types of edits from utilising a team of dedicated alpha and beta readers or a thorough developmental edit for the big picture stuff to various rounds of line edits and proofreading before the manuscript goes to publication.

But lately I’ve seen a different trend emerging in some circles of authors being annoyed with the services they have received and some even dragging their editors through the mud saying they paid good money for a clean copy, but they still found errors after the fact, so they were ripped off. Which boggles my mind just a little as I’ve read plenty of traditionally published books that contain errors from missing words and punctuation to misspellings and just general grammatical faux pas. Some of which are stylistic and deliberate but others that were just missed because editors are human just like everyone else and humans are not infallible. And traditionally published titles generally go through more editing passes than self or indie published titles so it only stands to reason that after so many eyes on the one work they should be error free, or does it? (the answer is well yes, but no, see below)

Now I am not saying if these authors paid for edits and they got manuscripts back that were still riddled with errors they shouldn’t complain, because yes there are scammers out there. But there is a big difference between a manuscript that was returned still completely riddled with errors and one that was returned relatively clean with only a handful of missed typos. And it seems some of these authors are complaining about the latter which is perpetuating a “why bother with hiring an editor” approach in some circles.

Here are some reasons an edited manuscript may still contain errors:

A)    Like authors, editors are only human, and this means they can miss things.

B)    Every time anyone touches a manuscript there is a chance that new errors can be introduced.

C)    The human brain is a rather amazing organ. Not only is it responsible for keeping your meat suit alive and functioning, but it also quite often does this thing where it sees what it is expecting to see. So, some rather obvious typos can go completely unnoticed for an almost embarrassing amount of time because of this.

D)    There is a general consensus that only about 80 or 90% (I can’t remember which and am too lazy to look it up right now) of errors will be caught during each editing pass. And that after about the third pass by the same person that person can no longer effectively catch errors (this is linked to that brain point above).

So if you are an indie author with a limited editing budget how do you get the best service for your money?

• Know your strengths as a writer. Some authors will just turn out a clean copy with ease (lucky bastards) but their story structure might be lacking. In general, even though I am a hardcore discovery writer (I’m discovery writing this post right now lol), I tend to have a pretty good handle on the big picture story issues. But I can get careless and miss things at the sentence level. So I don’t usually worry about any kind of developmental editing in favour of engaging in the services of a line editor and then a proofreader for a final pass before publication to hopefully catch anything that was missed. (spoiler alert: stuff still slips through) And whilst I don’t engage in formal developmental edits, I do send my extremely rough drafts to my beloved friend and fellow writer, Blake, who is rather good at pointing out problems and being a sounding board for helping me figure out plot holes, character issues and the like.

•   Know your types of editing (the super-fast loosey goosey guide):

  • Alpha and Beta readers and critique partners (oh my!)– usually free and technically not editing but can be engaged for developmental assistance. (story pacing, character development, plot holes and general suitability for target audience, etc.) Sometimes can also be helpful for catching typos and grammatical errors but as they are usually not paid for their services it should not be expected of them.

  • Developmental (structural) editing – big picture story stuff like plot and character development, consistency, overall effectiveness of the narrative, suitability for target audience, whether the story meets conventions of its genre/sub-genre, etc.

  • Line editing (sometimes referred to as copy editing though I think in the US line and copy are slightly different types of editing (don’t quote me on that lol)) – sentence level dealing with the nitty gritty stuff like: typos, punctuation, syntax, word choice, filter words, showing vs telling, repetition, POV intrusions and just general spit and polish.

  • Proofreading – this is the final pass before publication to hopefully catch anything that may have slipped through.

• Understand that edits are like sandpaper. There are different grades for different purposes and each one brings you closer to a smooth finish. Not every project will need every type of edit. (hence the suggestion to know your strengths as writer above.)

• Invest in some good books on self-editing (or even a course, check out your local writers centre they often have all sort of wonderful short courses about the different mechanics of writing). There are lots of options but here are a couple to get you started:

  • The Elements of Style by Strunk and White

  • Self-Editing for Fiction Writers by Browne and King

  • Intuitive Editing by Tiffany Yates Martin. (I only just finished this one, but it is now at the top of my list favourite books on revision and self-editing for authors)

• There are also so many great books out there on plot and structure if you need more help from a meat and bones of story perspective. James Scott Bell, John Truby, and K. M. Weiland are names you will see often recommended on this topic, and you can’t swing a cat in most author groups without hitting a post about, well, Save the Cat (wow, that was awkward even for me lol). There are also some fantastic free materials in the form of blog posts and YouTube videos. As with anything do your research, take most advice with a grain of salt, only engage with what works for you and your creative process and always, as Becca Syme would tell, you question the premise of any advice you are given especially if that advice is being delivered in a very prescriptive you should or you must do this manner.

(Total segue but it is worth checking out Becca’s books for authors (Dear Writer are you Intuitive is my favourite), her Better Faster Academy, YouTube channel, or even just stalking her social media. She is an invaluable resource for authors with her finger very much on the pulse of what is going on in the indie publishing world.)

• Always request a sample edit when engaging the services of a new to you editor, even if they come highly recommended. They might not be a good fit for you personally, it has nothing to do with their abilities as an editor but sometimes personalities clash or styles don’t mesh well. It just happens. You are developing a working relationship with this person so do your research and if you find that they are not a good fit for you there is no shame in walking away and finding someone else. But just because they weren’t a good fit for you does not mean they are a scammer or a shit editor some will be but honestly don’t be a jerk and bad mouth people, the indie publishing world whilst rather huge is also very small (and very “cliquey” but that’s a post for another day) and word gets around about people behaving badly faster than a bushfire on a 40 degree day.  I personally have worked with the same editor for five books so far and I will keep working with her for as long as I can because we have developed a lovely working relationship with each other, and she understands my style and voice which means she can make it shine.

Alright this got a lot longer than I intended (one of the perks/faults of jumping in without a plan I guess) so if you got this far thanks for sticking with my ramble and I hope you found something a least a little valuable in it.